I had a client ship me a drive that he mentioned had a rattle inside. I figured it could be the plastic arm that prevents the heads from moving until the motor is up to speed. However, when I received the drive, the rattle definitely sounded suspicious. I opened the drive and found a spare screw floating in the corner by the head magnet. I've verified that it is simply a spare screw and that I was the first to crack the seal on the drive.

Has anyone seen this before?

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Luke
Recovery Force Data Recovery

It is very unlikely that you the first who opened the drive
On the factory HDAs assmbeled by robots and it is very unlikely they can drop a screw inside

I guess your client trying to make fun of you

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SAN, NAS, RAID, Server, and HDD Data Recovery.

I'm confident that the drive was never opened previously. It was one of two drives sent to us, with the expectation that it didn't even have any data on it...which was the case. The only reason they sent it was because they weren't sure if there might be data on that drive.

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Luke
Recovery Force Data Recovery

Anyway, they should use a big resolution weight meter at the end of the line.

Janos

We used to refurbish a lot of drives a long time ago.
To make a drive seem like it never been cracked is very possible

Concider this in a future.

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www.datarecoveryne.com

I have found screws and pieces of plastic inside "NEW" sealed Seagate bagged drives (direct from distribution) I have only found these in the last 2 years.

When you open the bag then the HDA you find the drive quite often seized and when you look inside voila "SCREW" stuck under spindle

I have Been working with HDD for 12 years and I know when there have been sticky fudge covered fingers inside ;o)

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All went well until I plugged the drive in.

When I find another rattler I will video it's autopsy lol for all to see :O) Should be quite soon!

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All went well until I plugged the drive in.

Seagate has always had a screw loose....

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Buy your friends Toshiba\Hitachi and your enemies Seagate.

Better to be called "Screwed"..

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I just hate spammers...It was a Spammer, who ruined my life!

I remember once I bought a brand new SP0411N drive for donor, disassembled it and one of the screws was almost entirely out, just one or two threads held it.
I also met a WD protege that had one of the screws holding the motor get free (it is under the platter) and caused a big pit in the platter...

So there are nice things...

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Adatmentés - Data recovery

yesterday, i have seen one calypso (maxtor) where the MHA was not tightened to the body by the factory.
But this can't fall out at least.

Janos

My experience is the same as guru, sealed new Seagate drives, no funny customers.
robot program must be flawed.

Good afternoon, gentlemen. I am a HAL 9000 computer. I became operational
at the Seagate. plant in WUXI, China, on the 12th January 2007. My
instructor was Mr Langley, and he taught me to drop sh1t into HDD's. If you'd like
to see it, I can do it for you.
I can also make coffe capuchino and master at Latttteeessssss

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All went well until I plugged the drive in.

I think at Seagate factory they have employed someone ex from ... er... good known DR companies

I think the extra hardware was part of the Seagate spares program . . .

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http://www.datasaversllc.com

now..... if they would only leave a spare spindle and heads inside everyone will be happy :O))))

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All went well until I plugged the drive in.

I don't know why seagate not short this story like toshiba....



("! CAUTION .....*RATTLE NOISE IS NORMAL.")

Janos